Healey targets energy affordability amid utility bill spikes

The latest: Healey told business leaders Wednesday she will file an energy affordability bill and roll out an "energy affordability agenda" in the next eight weeks.

What they're saying: Healey says the bill would "bring down costs for families and businesses" and "jump-start homegrown, clean energy generation."

Catch up quick: The state Department of Public Utilities ordered gas companies to lower their bills for March and April by 5% after Healey urged state regulators to step in.

• For weeks, Massachusetts residents have complained about increases of hundreds of dollars in their monthly bills for January and February.

Zoom in: Healey did not elaborate on the bill's specifics, but she said the proposal aims to move Massachusetts away from "costly, volatile fuels" that spike in the winters.

• Healey says this bill is "not a climate bill," when asked how this differs from the environmental bills Massachusetts passed in recent years.

State of play: Massachusetts used twice as much electricity as it produced and had the third-highest residential electricity price in 2023, per the U.S. Energy Information Association.

• One-fifth of households relied on electricity for heat, while half relied on natural gas. The remaining quarter relied on petroleum.
• Solar accounted for one-fourth of the state's electricity generation, and the state has invested in other clean energy initiatives, though some projects, like Vineyard Wind's offshore wind farm, have seen years-long delays.

What we're watching: Healey's bill will aim to boost clean energy production in-state, but it's unclear how she plans to do so.